With traditional construction markets slumping, mining and mineral processing will be one of the bright spots for the largest equipment exposition
By Steve Fiscor, Editor-in-Chief
Every three years Messe München International hosts bauma, one of the world’s largest construction and mining expositions. The 29th bauma will take place April 19-25, 2010, in Munich. “Today bauma is the undisputed number one trade fair for the construction machinery industry worldwide,” said Klaus Dittrich, CEO, Messe München GmbH. “Not only that, it is the biggest of all the specialist trade fairs—for any industry—that take place for around the globe. So bauma is big. Yet somehow this event manages to break new records every time it is held. The next bauma is no exception.”
bauma 2010 is fully booked and the exhibition space available has grown by another 15,000 m2. In total, bauma 2010 will take up 555,000 m2 of exhibition space. The organizers expect 3,000 exhibitors. In 2007, bauma had 3,002 exhibitors from 49 countries on 540,000 m2 of space, and more than 500,000 visitors from 191 countries.
As well as the high level of international participation, in terms of both exhibitors and visitors, bauma benefits from Messe München’s strong international network of associations and sales partners. Another key reason for the success of bauma is the city in which it is held: Munich. Not only does the New Munich Trade Fair Centre offer an excellent infrastructure and the necessary capacity, but Munich itself has great flair and appeal, and first-class transport links.
“Right after the last bauma in 2007 we started planning for the next one,” said Dittrich. “In particular we have been working on transport and infrastructure improvements. We commissioned the construction of a new entrance building at the northwest of the exhibition center, right next to the multi-story car park. This was recently completed and is now open. It is expected that this new entrance will relieve pressure on the busy West Entrance [marked in purple on the site plan]. We have also made provisions for temporary entrances on the open-air site, which are only being planned and set up for bauma.”
The extra exhibition space for bauma 2010 has been gained by including new outdoor space and two temporary halls. The halls are being specially erected for the event. (Their location is marked in green on the site plan.) Foundations were poured for these halls in January and connections laid for services such as water, waste water and IT. The Mining Hall, now successfully integrated into Hall C2, will prove to be very popular this year. It is also the location for the Bauma Forum, which offers an extensive program of lectures and presentations on the subject of mining. In 2010, Hall BO in the International Congress Center Munich (ICM) will be occupied exclusively by Chinese exhibitors.
Times Change
Along with the economic downturn, a steep drop in demand for construction equipment occurred suddenly worldwide. “Manufacturers of construction equipment are used to seeing fluctuations and therefore know how to handle them,” said Dr. Christof Kemmann, CEO, BHS-Sonthofen GmbH; chairman, VDMA; and chairman, bauma advisory board. “However, this time, the scale as well as the speed were unique.” Despite these trends, the fair is fully booked, Kemmann explained, and this might be an important indicator of the mood and situation the industry finds itself in.
During 2009, the companies belonging to the VDMA bottomed out. “Throughout that entire year, their amount of incoming orders and industry-wide sales dropped by about 50% on average; making the current volume equal to 2005 figures,” Kemmann said. The fact that the numbers of orders in the field of construction equipment and machinery have decreased in 2009 will only become visible in 2010, as lead times have become significantly longer also. Many a manufacturer will have to face a drop in sales and capacity utilization this year.”
For the mining machinery industry, 2009 was a record year in terms of sales for the VDMA. “However, the number of incoming orders fell immensely also,” Kemmann said. “Therefore, particularly in 2010, problems with regard to capacity utilization are to be expected. However, the industry hopes to maintain its overall turnover achieved in 2009 also in the running year. There are signs that at least some of the orders that were cancelled last year because of the economic crisis, will be filled this year.”
There is no reason to be euphoric whatsoever, Kemmann explained, and companies are preparing themselves for a lean period.
The long term forecasts for the construction, building material, mining as well as the machinery industry worldwide are positive. This is thanks to rapidly growing markets in Asia and other regions, such as Brazil.
Liebherr Mining Truck Will Take Center Stage
The Liebherr Group is displaying more than 60 exhibits from every area of its extensive construction machinery program on bauma’s largest stand. Liebherr has developed an entirely new stand concept for its 13,500-m2 outdoor site (Stand 803-807).
A large number of new and further developed products are the main focus of interest on the new Liebherr stand. The list of exhibits includes 11 mobile cranes, six crawler cranes and hydraulic excavators, three large rotary drilling units, nine tower cranes, six mobile excavators, seven crawler excavators and wheel loaders, four crawler tractors and loaders, two telescopic handlers, a truck mixer, two mixing plants and a large mining truck. The Liebherr program of new products is rounded off by two world premieres: an innovative bulk material handler and the 282C center-steered mining class haul truck.
As reported in the Engineering & Mining Journal survey of German Mining Technology (September 2009, pp 46-47), the TI 264 truck has been undergoing mine site testing while the T282C mine truck, which features a Liebherr IGBT based electronic drive system, is also being tested. The new R9100 small mining excavator, weighing in at 107-108 mt, is presently being tested at Liebherr-France and field testing will follow. The new excavator will be displayed at bauma 2010. The R9800 backhoe has been on site in Australia since December and Liebherr says the machine’s performance is amazing, exceeding the manufacturer’s productivity expectations.
In addition to the R9800, Liebherr will also have an R954C SHD hydraulic excavator on the stand. With a service weight of approximately 62 mt, it develops a crowding force of 435 kN (44.3 mt) and a breakaway force of up to 355 kN (36.2 mt). The excavator’s maximum crowding length is 3.38 m and its discharge height is 6.30 m.
In addition to mining equipment, Liebherr’s newly developed energy storage cylinder is one of three contenders in the bauma Innovations Components category. The new Liebherr energy storage cylinder is a gas-filled cylinder designed specifically for use on material handling equipment, with the main emphasis on overall efficiency of the hydraulic system and economical machine operation. The cylinder partially compensates for the weight of the machine’s working equipment. It enables energy to be stored more effectively and increases the overall efficiency of the power hydraulic system. As the hydraulically-powered equipment is lowered, the gas in the storage cylinder is compressed. When the next lifting movement starts, the stored energy assists the action of the two boom lifting rams so less force has to be exerted. It has been designed specifically as a separate external system for use on the machine, and therefore does not need the complex additional installations such as switching valves or separate storage devices found on comparable systems currently available. The new Liebherr energy storage cylinder will be exhibited on Stand 111 in Hall A4.
Bucyrus Exhibits Passion for Mining Technology
At bauma 2010, Bucyrus will focus on longwall technology with a number of exhibits showing product innovation-and the debut of the latest evolution of its highly successful Electra range of shearers. Advances in surface mining technology will also be presented. Visitors can find Bucyrus at Booth 111/216 in Hall C2.
Bucyrus will announce a new generation shearer, the Electra 3000 Evo with advanced automation and productivity features. While keeping successful design features, Bucyrus reviewed all shearers in service around the world to refine the design. The result is a mature, flexible easy-maintenance shearer with further enhanced productivity. The ranging arm has been reengineered to make it more compact—increasing power density and minimizing disruption of material flow on the armored face conveyor. The downdrive, which is also fully modular and easy to access for maintenance, has also been redesigned to reduce maintenance time. The shearer will not be exhibited at the show, but videos and displays will illustrate the benefits.
The company will display a special roof support that can be retrofitted for Longwall Top Coal Caving, a technology being pioneered by Bucyrus in Australia. With a support capacity of 1,362 mt (1,501 tons), the roof support is controlled by PMC-R. The Narrabri roof support exhibit features a video camera system for visual control of the entire face; powerful DN32 hydraulics for fastest advancing times; and height measurement with inclinometers.
The company will also display PF 4 line pans designed to convey 1,800 mt/h (1,984 tph) and the PF 6 line pans 6,000 mt/h (6,600 tph). Also on display for the first time is the PF 6H, a line pan engineered to support heavier shearers (deadweight > 140 mt) and for future chain generations (52 mm+) and Jumbotrack 3000 haulage system.
Other underground mining technology on display includes the Power Chain, a special flight bar design allows low-profile pan, drastically reducing surface pressure and chain joint wear; the Intelligent CST (Controlled Start Transmission) system; the PMC-Family with special focus on VibraGuard; and belt systems components.
The company will also use 1:50 scale models to showcase its massive surface mining machines. The Bucyrus 8750 D3 Dragline features AC gearless technology. The revolutionary design incorporates the use of 13,000-hp synchronous motors for the hoist and drag motions, setting this machine apart from its predecessors. The AC technology used, supported by Siemens, provides for reduced downtime, maintenance costs and energy consumption, as well as increased productivity.
Another 1:50 scale model will demonstrate the HydraCrowd, the newest innovation in crowd technology developed for electric rope shovels. A hydraulic cylinder inside the tubular dipper handle replaces rack-and-pinion and rope crowd mechanisms, allowing the dipper handle to rotate, thereby eliminating harmful torsional stresses incurred during the digging motion. HydraCrowd is available on new Bucyrus 495HR/HF rope shovels, or as a retrofit option for existing Bucyrus rope shovels.
Other surface mining technologies on display include the LatchFree Dipper System and rotary drill technology such as the Rotary Bit Change Carousel, a Forked Pipe Wrench, a reinforced 49 series drill mast, a 24 volt control system conversion, and an enhanced operator’s cab.
Cummins Highlights Power for in Mining Equipment
The 3,500-hp rated QSK78 mining engine will lead the Cummins lineup. The presence of the 78-liter engine will highlight Cummins’ position as a leading supplier of high-powered engines for large mining haul trucks and excavators.
The V-18 configuration QSK78 was the first engine to bring a 3,500-hp (2,610 kW) power capability to ultra-class mining haul trucks operating at high altitudes. The QSK78 was also the first engine of its size to feature a full-authority electronic management system, enabling engine parameters to be customized to precisely match the duty cycle of the equipment. The QSK78 continues to set standards in terms of life-to-overhaul and lowest cost per ton, according to the company.
The Cummins mining display will also feature cost-saving technologies for the mine operator, such as the Eliminator self-filtration system, which replaces disposable oil filters on the engine and enables oil change intervals to be extended up to 1,000 hours.
Ranging from 19- to 78-liter displacement, the QSK family of diesel engines is uniquely designed for mining equipment and, according to Cummins, they can handle high-hour and high engine load factors on a fuel-efficient basis and achieve uptime levels of more than 95%.
Sandvik’s Electric LHD Will Turn Heads
The latest addition to the Sandvik line of load-haul-dump (LHD) units for underground mining is the new 14-mt electric LHD that melds higher productivity with lower operating costs and reduced environmental impact with all the strengths of diesel machines.
Similar to all Sandvik loaders, the 14-mt eLHD incorporates key features of the recently launched diesel machines, such as upgraded cabin design and Vehicle Control and Management system (VCM). The electronic control system incorporates a state-of-the-art user interface with enhanced diagnostics and a platform for Sandvik’s Automine technology, plus an upgraded electric system designed to interface optimally with the electronic control system.
According to Sandvik, the upgraded electric and hydraulic systems and improved tramming capacity deliver excellent productivity, reliability and performance. Offering extended operating range with up to 400 m of cable, they are ideal for use in all applications where the hauling distance is short and operations are repetitive.
Easy to service and maintain, eLHDs also offer reduced downtime by improved diagnostics and trouble-shooting with the VCM system. Additionally, new, top-notch manuals and up-to-date training materials make them perfectly suited for all global users with reasonable operational and management practices as required for electric fleet.
Higher productivity is offered with electric motor’s peak torque, resulting in faster bucket filling and better acceleration. The electric model features 14,000 kg (30,865 lb) of tramming capacity, buckets ranging from 4.6 m3 to 7 m3, three-phase, squirrel-cage 45 kW pump and 132 kW drive motors with Dana 5000 series gearbox and Posi Stop axles. Sandvik eLHDs features include better visibility with horizontal cable reel, better fire safety so there is no need for flammable diesel fuel, no hot engine parts and no exhaust fumes.
Rema Tip Top Offers Enhanced Service Strategy
In addition to supplying the components needed to maintain conveyor systems, Rema Tip Top is also branching into service-oriented solutions for mines. The company now includes its Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) models in every service program and it presents all necessary service components in a structured and clear fashion. TCO is probably best described as an accounting procedure that helps companies to record and to reliably estimate all costs associated with capital investments. These not only include procurement costs, but also numerous expenditures made that have an effect on profitability down the road.
The overall goal is to examine known cost drivers more closely and influence their effects on operating or company results in a positive manner. TCO is, however, also a suitable aid in identifying hidden costs, preferably before an investment decision is made. Moreover, TCO permits a further, much more important examination perspective, namely that of increased use and effectiveness, in this sense almost identical in its meaning to that of the term “added value.”
In addition to TCO, Rema will also showcase some new products at bauma. The company has developed Rema-Starm, a high-quality wear-protection material which is impressive because of its manifold features. The lining material is based on a thermoplastic polyurethane. It is extremely resistant to wear. It shows a very high grooving and cutting resistance. It stays flexible at extremely low temperatures. It is resistant to oils, greases and a wide variety of solvents. Its high aging resistance is a further advantage.
Rema Goo is a new product which helps to speed up conveyor belt repairs. It is a specifically designed solvent-free two-component polyurethane repair paste which makes it possible to repair damage to conveyor belts in an extremely short time. The material stays elastic. It shows no signs of fatigue or aging. It does not shrink after application and is resistant to UV-rays. It hardens to approximately 60 Shore A, which equals the hardness of conveyor belt rubber covers.
Rema recently acquired shares in Dunlop Industrial Products, South Africa, a major belting supplier. The company is now able to supply high quality conveyor belting to clients across the globe.
Wirtgen Presents the Largest Surface Miner 4200
In 1980, Wirtgen built the first surface miner for opencast deposits. Today, Wirtgen is the market leader in this segment, offering a technically mature product portfolio for opencast mining that has been tried and tested in operations around the globe. The latest machine, the large 4200 SM, has a total weight of more than 200 mt and a length of more than 30 m. The huge mining machine is the heaviest and longest exhibit of the entire Wirtgen Group exhibition stand.
The 4200 SM is the largest of three Wirtgen machines for opencast mining. Cutting widths range from 2.20 m to 4.20 m and cutting depths of between 20 cm and 83 cm. Wirtgen is the only manufacturer covering a scope of performance ranging from 100- to 3,000-mt/h.
The new 4200 SM is a high-performance machine suitable for mine operators and customers in large-scale opencast mining whose goal is to achieve an annual mining capacity in soft rock of up to 12 million mt while wanting to make full use of the benefits offered by Wirtgen’s selective mining technology that enables cutting, crushing and loading in a single working pass.
The 4200 SM is available in two configurations for operations in either hard or soft rock. For applications in soft rock with unconfined compressive strengths of up to 50 MPa, the 4200 SM is equipped with a 4.2-m-wide cutting drum unit with larger cutting diameter, thus permitting a cutting depth of up to 83 cm. The largest Wirtgen miner can alternatively be equipped with a drum assembly offering a cutting width of 4.20 m and a cutting depth of 65 cm for applications in hard rock with unconfined compressive strengths ranging from 30 MPa to 80 MPa.
The heavy-duty machine is equipped with a 16-cylinder diesel engine from Cummins, making it the ideal candidate for a wide range of applications as its power of 1,194 kW offers tremendous reserve capacity. Generously dimensioned tanks offering capacities of 2,900 liters for diesel and 10,000 liters for water additionally increase the miner’s uptime.
A two-stage conveyor system with 1,800-mm-wide primary and discharge conveyors and optional discharge conveyor lengths of 12- or 16-m supports the surface miner’s impressive cutting performance of up to 3,000 mt/h. The conveyor’s large slewing angle of 180º, flexible height adjustment and variable conveyor belt speed ensure smooth loading of large transport trucks even in restricted space conditions.
Putzmeister Pumps Tailings and Fly Ash
Putzmeister Solid Pumps GmbH will display a high-pressure resistant, up-
gradeable high-density solids pump (HSP) for transporting building materials underground. The HSP 25150 SP is a large-volume pump with two individually-controlled pistons. PSP specifically designed the pump to convey tailings and to pump fly ash over great distances. To achieve as constant a delivery as possible without pressure peaks, Putzmeister can, on request, equip these mining pumps with Pressure Constant Flow (PCF) control.
Putzmeister has designed the HSP pump head with a modular structure. This design makes a significant contribution to reducing operating costs. The replacement of worn parts now only involves replacing the actual worn-out components and no longer encompasses the entire pump head.
When switching from pressure stroke to suction stroke, seat valves in the HSP pump head with extremely accurate closing characteristics prevent the conveyed material from flowing back out. This means pressures of 150 bar are possible in continuous operation even when pumping paste-like and highly viscous media with small particle sizes. The new seat valve pump for solid matter is designed with a maximum 20 mm diameter. Thanks to the high-volume delivery cylinder, the HSP 25150 SP achieves effective outputs of approximately 250 m3/h—depending on the material to be conveyed and the fill level of the delivery cylinder.
If the output needs to be further increased, the HSP can easily be modified into a multi-cylinder delivery unit. Any number of cylinders is possible with evenly offset piston strokes. The result is a pump system designed to suit each individual delivery job, with an impressive, extremely even output flow rate at high pump outputs. Putzmeister also offers subsequent “upgrading” of the pump installation in order to produce a higher delivery rate.
Grindex to Launch New Submersible Pumps
A world leader in electrical submersible pumps, Grindex has implemented some aggressive changes over the last three years. In 2007, the company moved into new facilities in northern Stockholm and began updating its business systems.
The update process also included the design of a completely new pump series; the fourth generation in the company’s history. The new pump series was introduced to the market in the first quarter of 2008. Compared to earlier pump generations, the pump’s wear resistance has been tripled, in some applications even more. This has been achieved by preventing abrasive particles from reaching the vulnerable parts of the pumps, minimizing wear. This makes the pumps capable of maintaining capacity while operating in really demanding applications.
At bauma 2010, a new generation of slurry pumps will be introduced to meet the needs for extra abrasive resistant submersible pumps. The series will comprise nine pump models with motor sizes from 5 to 70 kW. The company will also introduce a new submersible drainage pump Master SH. The pump has been designed to deliver water up to over 80 m in one single step. This is possible thanks to the double stage impellers. The Master SH pump is ideal for operation in deep excavations where high head pumping is common, such as in underground mines as well as in open-pit mines.
Eickhoff to Debut Autonomous Longwall Shearer
Longwall mining is one of the most productive techniques for mining coal underground. Until very recently, the shearer operator being equipped only with a hand-held radio control, had to guide the machine with all of its functions three-dimensionally through the deposit. Dust, rockfall, humidity, noise, and constraints to the operator’s vision have for many years evoked ever greater demands for automating the mining processes. The systems, however, had to be intelligent enough to orient themselves to the deposit boundaries and autonomously execute the extraction pass and guide the mining system within these boundaries.
With the automated Eickhoff SL 750 EiControl, the longwall shearer is equipped with capabilities that allow it to see, hear and feel, according to the company. The EiControl senses are derived from features, which are designed for the harsh, potentially explosive mining environment, that include detection of the deposit boundaries by fiber-optic infra-red (IR) cameras with image processing, structure-borne noise sensors with specific parameter evaluation, monitoring of the surroundings, the anti-collision facility of the shearer using a specifically developed millimeter wave radar, and visual cameras combined with comprehensive machine diagnostics for online evaluation of the machine state.
The sensor information is evaluated by a system of algorithms and processed into control information for the navigation of the system and the automatic sequence of the mining process. EiControlPLUS is subdivided into logical partial systems which are the haulage automation and the extraction (ranging arm) automation. The haulage automation automates all motion sequences along the face during the extraction pass and includes haulage direction and speed, changes in direction, conveyor overload protection, collision warning and avoidance.
The extraction automation controls the positions of the extraction units (cutter drums) such that the mining system follows the deposit boundaries, avoiding unnecessary extraction of undesired surrounding rock.
One essential feature of the system is the open communication structure where the system’s measuring data can be transferred online to the mine control center, and control and navigation information vice versa, through open and compatible communication paths.
This approach to shearer loader automation brings about considerable advantages in terms of sustainable extraction of raw material, and of hard coal in particular. The operators can be relieved from active control tasks in the highly stressful surroundings of the machine and focus on the monitoring and optimization tasks for the system. The EiControl system also aims for achieving the highest possible predictive utilization of the system components while eliminating unnecessary downtime as far as possible. The mining system also automatically orients itself to the deposit boundaries (horizontal control) and improves the product quality by avoiding cutting of undesired surrounding rock.
This technology was developed through cooperative efforts between the machine builder, Eickhoff Bergbautechnik, the mining company, RAG-Deutsche Steinkohle, and RWTH Aachen as the research institute. The system has been in operation since July 2009 at the Auguste Viktoria mine, near Marl, Germany.
Dana Develops Drive Train for Wheeled Loaders
At bauma this year, Dana will introduce an optimized drive train solution for 16-mt (17.5-ton) front-end loader vehicle applications through a system that includes a Spicer 319 summing motor, two Spicer Model 114 planetary drive axles, and the Spicer Compact Series Model 2035 driveshaft.
The Spicer 319 summing motor transfer case provides maximum tractive performance and high efficiency. Targeted for applications requiring 104 to 164 kW (140 to 220 hp), this transfer case employs two hydrostatic motors each with optimized gear ratios. To maximize efficiency at higher vehicle travel speeds, a clutch automatically disconnects the low-speed, high-gear-ratio motor, allowing the high-speed motor to function alone. The Spicer 319 summing motor transfer case delivers seamless continuous variable transmission (CVT) performance from 0 to 40 km/h (0 to 25 mph).
The Spicer Model 114 drive axle includes a limited-slip differential lock that provides a 45% locking capacity, delivering excellent tractive force and nimble vehicle steering for front-end loader applications. The Spicer Model 114 axle can be configured with a variety of other hydraulic-locking differential options, including dog clutch and multi-disc clutch. Inboard wet disc brakes offer proven fail-safe stopping performance and energy absorption, while a fail-safe park brake featuring internal negative SAHR is available as an option.
The Spicer Model 114 axle includes 6.00-to-1 ratio outboard planetary wheel ends with 425 mm wheel B.C. mountings, self-adjusting internal wet brakes, and a trunnion mounting option.
Takraf Displays Mobile Crusher and Surface Miners
Results of recent feasibility studies conducted for overburden removal systems show an overall life cycle cost which clearly favors In-Pit Crushing and Conveying Systems (IPCCs) employing mobile crushing plants, conveyors and mechanized spreading equipment over other solutions such as haul trucks. In 2009, Tenova Takraf supplied and commissioned a mobile crushing plant rated at 12,000 mt/h for a coal mine in Queensland, Australia.
This unit has a slewable superstructure and slewable discharge boom conveyor that may be positioned at different angles to the mining face and provides very high operational flexibility. A 50-m3 electric shovel with feeds the plant. The shovel pivots and travels about the receiving hopper in an incremental radial pattern. This accomodates the rope shovels which has to relocate every eight hours. During the loading operation the hopper rests on the ground to avoid propagation of shock loads through the crushing station.
Starting from this concept Tenova Takraf embarked on the development of a more simplified plant without the need of the slew function of the entire superstructure. The result is the Takraf mobile crushing system (TMCS) which is now offered as a modular system for a capacities range of about 4,000 to 12,000 mt/h. It may be combined with a belt wagon or a mobile conveyor bridge which is capable of spanning up to three benches of 15-m height or more, from one face conveyor. The TMCS can be equipped with either a double roll crusher or with a sizer.
During December, two Tenova Takraf TSM 300 surface miners began production at HWE Mining’s Yandi iron ore mine in Western Australia.
During the initial start up and training period the cutting capacity averaged 480 mt/h to 1,110 mt/h depending on the material’s compressive strength.
The TSM 300 uses a front cutting drum with a direct twin drive. That allows for a cutting depth of 800 mm. Due to its specific cutting drum design with top-down cutting, the surface miner consistently produces a small product size, without additional crushing. Standard features include a spacious operator cabin with two full size access ways and a trainer seat. It’s ad-
vanced on-board machine monitoring and diagnostic system with full size screen and clear text messaging allows for easy control and adjustment of machine parameters for best performance under changing ground conditions.
Atlas Copco Debuts Equipment and Services
Atlas Copco’s will display its Minetruck MT42 at bauma, which represents the company’s next generation of underground trucks. This high-speed 42 metric ton (mt) articulated truck has been designed to maximize productivity as well as provide increased safety and operator comfort in underground haulage applications. The MT42 is available now in Scandinavia and Canada and will be launched globally in 2011.
The MT42 is powered by a fuel efficient, low-emission Cummins QSX15 520 hp EPA Tier 3/Stage IIIA engine, coupled with proven drivetrain components, delivering reliable performance and high speed on ramps. The transmission has eight forward and two reverse gears and features a self-diagnostic system for rapid troubleshooting.
Operator comforts in the standard ISO ROPS/FOPS certified cabin include an air suspended forward-facing seat, a clear, multifunction display monitor, air conditioning and a trainer’s seat. The operator’s sound exposure is below 80 dBA in the cabin. Front axle suspension further contributes to operator comfort, while also allowing greater speeds on mine roadways.
An extensive, 12-month field test at Boliden’s Garpenberg mine in Sweden proved the capabilities of the MT42, while also winning praise from the operators. The articulated steering increases maneuverability and allows agile cornering, while the dump system can discharge a full load in just 13 seconds. Rear facing cameras, one backup camera and one loading camera covering the box, complement the operator’s view from the cabin.
In addition to the MT42, Atlas Copco will also have a Simba S7 D, which is now available for long hole drilling in the small to medium range drift size. Compared to its predecessor, the Simba S7 D provides several features such as: higher ground clearance; Tier 3/ Stage IIIA diesel engine; faster tramming speed; modern design; parts commonality, and the potential to carry a water hose reel.
The company will also introduce a new hydraulic rock drill, the COP 3060MUX, for use in underground long-hole drilling. Thanks to a new manufacturing technique, the Atlas Copco designers have been able to minimize losses in the hydraulic flow by optimizing the design of the channels and spool valve. This results in very high efficiency, according to the company.
Atlas Copco is also launching a global training program for drill rig operators. Called Drill Master, it is an intensive training program consisting of three levels—Bronze, Silver and Gold—with built-in qualifications enabling trainees to advance to the next level. The program combines theory, hands-on simulated training and training in real working conditions.
The company’s Scooptram ST7 recently received top marks during field tests in Sweden, confirming major advanc
